Multi-layer circuit boards contain and/or include electrical components which selectively and operatively populate opposed first and second surfaces (i.e., top and bottom surfaces) of each board (or other respective interior portions of each board), thereby desirably allowing each of the electrical circuit boards to contain and/or include a relatively large amount of electrical components which efficiently and densely populate the respective boards.
Because many components densely populate these circuit boards, during use and/or operation of the circuit boards, substantial amounts of heat are produced and/or generated within small areas of the circuit boards. This generated heat undesirably prevents the components from properly functioning and may even irrevocably damage or destroy these components. Therefore it in desirable to form, create and/or manufacture circuit boards that are adapted to disperse and/or dissipate heat away from such heat producing components.
Cooling devices, such as thermoelectric or "Peltier" coolers, may be used to disperse, dissipate and/or translate heat within electrical equipment, components and assemblies. Thermoelectric or "Peltier" coolers operate on the principle that passing current through two joined and dissimilar electric conductors causes heat to be emitted or absorbed at the juncture of the materials. Conventional or "external" thermoelectric coolers have been placed in and/or attached to electronics equipment, and more particularly, to warm or heat emitting portions the electronic equipment in order to cool the equipment. 3n thin manner, these "external" thermoelectric coolers dissipate and/or transfer heat away from the warm or heat emitting portions of the electronic equipment to cooler regions of the electronic equipment.
One drawback associated with these conventional or "external" thermoelectric coolers is that they typically comprise additional materials or components that are not needed for the functioning of the electronic equipment to which the coolers are attached. Employing "external" thermoelectric coolers which use additional materials or components is especially undesirable in multi-layer circuit boards which are designed to support and/or contain several electrical components in a relatively small amount of space. For example and without limitation, such additional materials and/or components would add both unwanted size and weight to multi-layer circuit boards.
Consequently, there is a need for circuit boards created by a method which allows many small electrical components to densely populate respective layers within the circuit boards, while still allowing heat to be dissipated and/or dispersed away from components which emit substantial amounts of heat. Specifically, there is a need for a method of creating thermoelectric or "Peltier" type coolers within multi-layer circuit boards wherein the thermoelectric or "Peltier" type coolers are integrally formed within the circuit board such that no or very little excess material is needed to create the coolers.